Screw-door safe.



Patented Oct; 24, I899.

No. 635,29l.

C. E. BLECH'SCHMIDT.

SCREW DOOR SAFE.

(Application filed Oct. 11, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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FIG-2 g ventor.

UNITED STATES I EErcE.

PATENT CHARLES E. BLECHSCHMIDT, OF BELLEVUE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE VICTOR SAFE AND LOCK COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SCREW-DOOR SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,291 dated October 24, 1899. Application filed October 11, 1898. Serial No. 693,270. (No model-J T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BLEOH- SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellevue, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw-Door Safes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to those safes having screw-doors provided with forwardly-projecting journals, around which are arranged metallic balls that reduce the friction incidental to the rotation of such heavy doors in the act of opening and closing them, and my improvement comprises a specific combination of these antifriction devices. This combination includes an ungrooved journal and a non-rotatable holder for the balls, the holder being an undivided ring-shaped bushing carried by an integral ring at the free end of an ordinary crane-hinge and having a single runway or race traversed by said balls. The runway is an annular groove arranged around the inner wall or periphery of said bushing and is al most a complete circle in cross-section in order that it may embrace somewhat more 0 than one-half of each ball and leave only a I limited portion of the latter to come in contact with the smooth journal. Owing to this peculiar shape of the race, the balls cannot be inserted from the inner side of the bushing,

but must be put in through a special opening of the same. This opening extends from the race to the exterior of the bushing, and after the balls are insertedsaid opening is closed with a plug, and then said bushing is fitted in the ring of the crane-hinge. Consequently the balls cannot be taken out of the race until the bushing is first detached from the ring and the plug removed from said opening, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved safe, its

screw-door being closed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the attachments for rotating said door, a dial being removed therefrom and a lock-spindle sectioned. Fig. 3 is another elevation showing the ungrooved journal-bearing of the door, a double-ended operatinglever being detached, and the lock-spindle and a portion of the bushing sectioned. Fig. 4 is a horizonal section through the journal-bearing, said section being taken at the dotted line K K of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the grooved bushing, the screwthreaded plug of the same and one of the metallic balls being detached from said bushing.

A represents the front of a safe of any desired size, shape, and construction, and a is a circular opening in said front to admit a disk-shaped door 13, the union of these two parts A B being effected by the customary screw-threaded connections. Projecting horizontally from the front of this door and preferably integral therewith is a heavy ungrooved journal C. (More clearly shown in Fig. 4.) This journal is concealed within an 7c undivided annular bushing D, whose inner periphery has a groove, race, or runway 61, While its outer periphery has a pair of shallow pits d d, as represented in Fig. 5. The race d must be of such a size and shape as to hold a suitable number of metallic balls E and yet permit portions of said balls to project far enough to come in contact with the ungrooved journal C. Furthermore, by referring to Fig. 4 it will be noticed that this race is almost a complete circle in cross-section in order that it may embrace somewhat more than one-half of each ball. Again, these balls are inserted one at a time through a threaded opening F of the bushing, after which act a short plug f is screwed into said hole to prevent their accidental escape. The pits d d" in the top and bottom of the bushing admit the points of screws G G, tapped in a ring H at the free end of a crane-hinge I, the latter being secured in the usual manner to the safe-front A.

The ungrooved door-journal C has a reduced portion or neck 0, around which is secured by screws jjj, as shown in Fig. 2, the hub J of a double-ended lever, which rigid connection of these parts C J insures the proper rotation of the door l3 either to the right or left, as occasion requires. The

three holes between these screws jjj are to admit pins projecting rearwardly from a fixed plate, to the front of which is fitted a rotary dialL, having a knob M, provided with a spindle m for operating a combination-lock when such a device is applied to the door. In some cases, however, a time-lock might be used, and then the dial, knob, and spindle would be omitted.

Attached to the exterior of the door is a lug N, adapted to contact with a stop 01 of the safe, and thus prevent the screw-threads being wedged too tightly together when said door is closed flush with the safe-front.

From the above description it is evident that there is very little friction between the ungrooved journal C and balls E, and for this reason the largest and heaviest safe-doors provided with such an arrangement of bearings can be screwed in and out with the greatest facility. Itis alsoevidentthattheungrooved journal C permits the non-rotatable bushing D to adjust itself along said journal, which longitudinal shifting could not occur if the balls E engaged with grooves cut around the journal, as is the case with some forms of antifriction-bearings applied to safe-doors. Therefore this bushing will always maintain itself in a proper supporting position in relation to the journal even after the hinge II I has sagged down and become inclined with reference to the safe-front. Finally by first disengaging the screws jj j the double-ended lever K K can be removed from the neck 0, together with the dial L and knob M, and then by loosening the other screws G G the bushing D can be drawn bodily forward and out of the hinge-ring H. After this act the plug f can be unscrewed from the threaded opening F, so as to allow the balls to run out of the race (1; but this unscrewing of the plug f cannot be effected while the bushing is in place, because said plug is then inaccessible, being completely housed within the ring II.

I am aware that it is not new to support the journals of screw safe-doors in ball-bearings, as such antifriction devices are revealed in a number of patents. Therefore my claim is not to be construed broadly, but is expressly limited to the specific combination of devices herein described and illustrated.

I claim as my invention- In a screw-door safe, the within-described specific combination of devices, which combination includes the crane-hinge I, provided, at its free end, with an integral ring H, having screws G, G, tapped in it; the undivided annular bushing D, fitted in said ring, and provided with a side opening F, screw-threaded plug f, pits d, d, and a single race d; the balls E, housed within said race; and the ungrooved journal 0, in direct contact with said balls, the points of the screws G, G, being inserted in the pits d, d", to prevent the bushing D turning in the ring H, all as herein shown, and set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. BLECHSCHMIDT.

IVitnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, J ESSE M. SIMON. 

